Britannia Hotel, Wolverhampton

Lichfield St, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV1 1DD

Rating *

The first thing that I noticed was checking in. The breakfast had been sold for £15 on line which I had decided to skip for that cost but there is a board up behind the reception desk offering breakfast for £7. If I had already paid for breakfast I would not have been impressed with this price drop.

Moving up to my room I had to raise an eyebrow at the location they had given me. I had made sure that my booking request had stated I was a disabled guest using crutches. My room was the very next one to some steps.

As I entered the room I felt like I had entered a 1990s time warp. I'm informed that the hotel was bought by Britannia from Victoria Park Hotel in the mid-90s and I don't think anything has been done, to my room at least, since then. From the décor and curtains, to the portable TV-VHS combi that that was so far away from the bed it was impossible to watch, to the phone that had a Victoria Park Hotel logo, a pre-phONEday (1995) phone number (I've been trying to find out when the 10th digit was added) and a 1989 date stamp on it!

As I drew the curtains before I went to shower I found that two nets were hanging from the rail and the windows were so filthy you could barely see out. Someone had also written "I woz ere August 2014" in pencil which no one had thought to wipe off in 3 months.

I then went to get a shower and was rather horrified with the state of the bathroom. Everything was mouldy, dirty, rusty or generally falling apart. More water was coming from the join of the shower head than through the shower itself.

As I went back into the bedroom I looked around and realised how the whole room was in a bad state. Wood was chipped, the lampshades over the bed weren't on properly, it was filthy. When I went to get into bed I thought the duvet had been put on the wrong way around but it was actually that the seam had come undone.

Before I went to bed I called for an extra pillow which I was told someone would bring up. This never materialised.

I have to say this is not a hotel I would recommend to visitors to the area unless a lot of work is done to it. When I told friends I had stayed in the hotel they sent their commiserations without even asking how bad it was. This is a hotel with a bad reputation and I can fully understand why.

Below are a few more pictures to demonstrate further the state of the room, what I don't have is a picture of the pornographic drawing in the hall. I don't have a problem with nudes but a detailed drawing from foot end is not what I expect to see in a public area.

The top of the wardrobe thick with dust and rubbish:

The radiator:

And more of the window:

And the door:

Jivan's Balti

Jivan's Balti, 14 Broad Street,  Wolverhampton,  WV1 1HP

Rating ****

Although not easy to spot - with an A4 piece of paper as the only signage - from the outside on a street full of Carribbean takeaways, this place really is a hidden gem that doesn't break the bank, with the bill for a party of four to £50 including alcohol.

Positive points include the massive naan breads for under £2 and the waiters asking how hot you would like your main course so you can choose nearly anything on the menu without worrying about if you handle the spice.  The restaurant is also open gone midnight on Friday and Saturday - a welcome change from the post-boozing kebab house trip and yet the restaurant could easily be a café or bistro so you can just drop by randomly.

A Collector of Tears - Arena Theatre Wolverhampton

Performed by Gobscure

Rating *****

The Collector of Tears is an epic exploration of English history through the eyes of our nomadic heroine, Tanya Sealt, daughter of a 16th century Sunderland salt baron, blessed - or cursed - with immortality until she can cry, wandering the land collecting the tears of historical figures and coming to terms with her bisexuality.

The play by Sean Burn is a monologue performed by Madeleine MacMahon with live music composed and performed by cellist Ken Patterson and a special signed performance. The set is minimalist with just two sets of steps and a box which manage to portray a wide variety of scenes.  The tears are collected in beautiful individual bottles created by Effie Burns. MacMahon expertly performed all roles in the play,  seamlessly switching between characters in a conversation - even during love scenes. 

The emphasis on personal liberty, from tyrants as diverse as Charles I, Oliver Cromwell and - on the subject of sexuality and  transgender at least - Margaret Thatcher, was cleverly done with Tanya's political beliefs staying broadly the same whether she was a Roundhead, Leveller, suffragette or LGBT activist - always defending her rights as a free-born human being, and especially equal rights between the sexes.

They even manage - at the end of 400 years of history - to fit in a scathing indictment of mental health treatment from the beginning of the NHS until "Care in the Community" in the Thatcher years.

This play is only on a limited tour but I do recommend seeing if you get a chance. There is also a book of Sean Burn's monologues including A Collector of Tears. 

Blood Brothers - Birmingham Hippodrome

Stars *****

I have a long history with Blood Brothers the tale of twins separated at birth and brought up in different classes as I studied it for my GCSEs. I've been to see it twice before with school at the Phoenix its home in the West End for 21 years, and later on when it came to Birmingham. So I was quite sad to see it closed at the Phoenix recently, but rather pleased to see it return to Birmingham.

Blood Brothers has always been my favourite musical the simplicity of the show in its set and cast in a way makes it more real in a way because it makes you think and use your imagination.

Maureen Nolan becomes the fourth Nolan to take the part of Mrs Johnstone and did an exceptional job of bringing the role and emotions to life. A couple of times something made her laugh out of character which caught the others too but it was good to see that she and the cast enjoy their roles.

The "children" did an amazing if somewhat unnerving job of playing children that made you forget that they were really grown up actors until you saw them with an adult character. The journey of Mickey from innocent 7  - sorry, nearly  8 - year old boy playing games and complaining about the lot of being the youngest to his depression and despair was masterfully executed by Sean Jones.

The Narrator (Kristopher Harding) managed to keep the creepiness level up all the way through the play seeming to drive Mrs Lyons to madness by himself.

I particularly appreciated Kate Jarman's interpretation of Mrs Lyons, I have seen her played as quite strong and controlling by other actresses whereas Kate's Mrs Lyons came off more vulnerable and desperate.

Blood Brothers is known for it's standing ovations and this was no different. It is well worth seeing, although this is not a play that will make you come out feeling good, don't forget the hankies!

Charity puts Domestic Violence and Abuse on the agenda

Charity puts Domestic Violence and Abuse on the agenda

The Haven Wolverhampton has announced new dates for three key training sessions that will help agencies throughout the region put Domestic Violence on the agenda and develop professional skills that will allow them to manage their client base more effectively.

The training sessions are:

Children and Young People Living with Domestic Violence: Impact of taking on the Carer Role - Wednesday 19th November 2014 - £45.

According to research conducted by YouGov on behalf of the charity 4Children, almost one million children in Britain are affected by domestic abuse, either as victims or witnesses.

This session is aimed at individuals and professionals working with children and young people who may be looking after their mother or younger siblings as a result of Domestic Violence taking place within the home.  The training originated through the 3 year Comic Relief funded project ‘Who Cares 4 Me?’

Upon completing this training session, attendees will:

• Be able to identify a young-carer.
• Understand the roles and responsibilities of young carers.
• Understand the impact of domestic violence and abuse on young carers.
• Know how to support children and young people who are carers.

The session will start with registration at 9am and finish at approximately 1pm followed by lunch.

Financial Abuse in the context of Domestic Violence/Abuse

- Thursday 27th November 2014 - £45

Financial abuse is often not considered a form of Domestic Abuse – but it can in fact have a devastating effect on the victim, their family and future economic stability. The training was designed following a 3 year project funded by The Nationwide Foundation and aims to equip management and frontline staff with the knowledge and understanding of financial abuse in order to support women who feel ‘they cannot afford to leave.’

 

This session is aimed at professionals and agencies who work with individuals at risk or experiencing financial abuse within their relationship. The session includes demonstration of the Havens online Financial Capability toolkit.

Upon completing this training session, attendees will:

• Understand the term Financial Abuse and recognise the symptoms and its impact.
• Be able to place Financial Abuse in the context of Domestic Violence and Abuse.
• Explore the problems and barriers experienced by individuals.
• Explore solutions towards best working practices.
• Understand how The Haven Financial Capability Tool can be used to assess an individual’s financial situation.

Multi-agency Domestic Violence Awareness Training Day

– 3rd December 2014 - £50

This training is suitable for frontline workers who work directly with clients affected by Domestic Violence/Abuse or Managers and HR professionals who would like to widen their understanding of Domestic Violence and Abuse and its impact.  

Upon completing this training session, attendees will:

• Be aware of Domestic Violence and abuse.
• Understand the myths and stereotypes around Domestic Violence.
• Recognise good working practice.
• Understand diversity issues surrounding Domestic Violence.

Look out for further training dates in 2015, including ‘Devising a Workplace Domestic Violence Policy for  Managers and HR Professionals and for front line staff  ‘good practice in early risk identification, intervention and prevention and use of DASH Risk Assessment’.

All training sessions will be held at The Workspace, All Saints, Wolverhampton.  To book your place on these sessions or for further details, please contact Alison Worton-Jones on 01902 572128 or email training@havenrefuge.org.uk.

Charity leads the way in digital learning for people experiencing financial difficulties

Charity leads the way in digital learning for people experiencing financial difficulties

The Haven Wolverhampton has today (25th September 2014) announced the launch of its on-line Financial Stability Advice Tool that will allow victims of economic abuse to gain financial freedom.

On the back of the success of the charity’s ‘Moving on through Economic Empowerment’ project that saw 150 women across Wolverhampton being supported, a brand new on-line digital tool unique to The Haven Wolverhampton is now available to individuals and agencies working with individuals who have experienced financial abuse.

The brand new Financial Stability Advice Tool funded by The Money Trust has been developed by the charity’s Financial Inclusion Team and builds on the financial capability sessions that had been previously run by the charity for victims of financial and economic abuse. It has been designed with a view to aiding victims of financial abuse to become more aware of their own finances, help them become more finance-savvy and gain confidence about making financial decisions.

By launching the tool, the charity aims to demonstrate to people that it is doing everything in its reach to support those who have experienced financial abuse and help them to: regain financial control, get the appropriate support and build stable futures for themselves and their families.  People will be able to access the tool from the comfort of their own homes to learn about complex concepts such as ‘What is APR?’ as well as understand more fully the Universal Credit system and how they can overcome financial barriers and avoid payday lending schemes. The tool will also be a valuable addition to the kitbag of those agencies and professionals working with people affected by Financial Abuse.

It is anticipated that the tool will be widely used by many people and sights are set by the charity to develop an ‘app’ for young people so that they understand the importance of budgeting and prevent the future reliance on loan companies.   

Upon announcing the launch, Rani Kaur, Lead for Community and Advocacy at The Haven said “We are excited to have developed the financial capability tool and aim to empower women with the financial awareness they need to sustain their property agreements following financial abuse.  We also encourage external agencies to become familiar with the tool so that they are more equipped to recognise whether their clients are in a financially abusive situation.”

If you would like to find out how the Financial Stability Advice Tool can help you or help your clients speak to a member of our Financial Inclusion Team on 01902 572145.

The Haven sends out SOS

The Haven women’s refuge is sending out an SOS signal today, urging the local authority, funders and community groups to commit to supporting specialist delivery of expert services for women and children survivors of domestic violence. The service has joined a nationwide campaign run by Women’s Aid in response to a crisis in our network of women’s refuges caused by devastating budget cuts.

The Haven is raising awareness that nationally we already don’t have enough specialist services to meet the needs of women and children who are homeless and experiencing domestic violence.

New research released today by Women’s Aid for the launch of the SOS campaign reveals a severe shortfall in the number of refuge spaces available, as well as broad public support for a national response to close the gap:

• The West Midlands is one of the stronger regions in terms of providing bed spaces, with four-fifths of the refuge spaces required. The region currently has 452 bed spaces, but needs 567: a shortfall of 20% [1].
• Six in ten (61%) voters feel the Government should do more to preserve the national network of domestic violence refuges for women and children [2].
• Nearly six in ten (59%) voters feel the government should do more to ensure funding support for women and children who have experienced domestic violence [3].

Kath Rees, CEO at The Haven

“Two women a week are killed by a partner or ex-partner, and at The Haven we have worked for over 40 years to protect women in the region from perpetrators of domestic violence, to help women and children live full lives free from the fear of violence and try to prevent these murders. Male victims are also supported by The Haven through a partnership with St George’s Charity. However, cuts and gruelling commissioning practices across the country are leading to refuges and services closing and women and children being left at risk. We are sending an SOS today to our local council and supporters to urge them to protect services here so we can continue to play our part in the vital national network of domestic violence services. If you can help by fundraising for The Haven, please contact Laura on 01902 572134.”

Polly Neate, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid said:

“Perpetrators of domestic violence will do everything they can to control their victim, which is why specialist support services are essential to help women escape and build independent lives. A national network of support services, which allows women to get help locally or escape the area, is essential to protecting women and children. This is why we are sending out the SOS signal together, and we urge the local authority to make a commitment to ensuring that the West Midlands will play its part in protecting vulnerable women and children across the country.”

About the SOS campaign

Women’s Aid is sending out an SOS Signal - urging councils and the public to help us Save Refuges to Save Lives.

The charity is calling for:

• central Government to commit to a national funding solution for specialist domestic violence services.
• local commissioners to commit to delivering specialist and expert services for women survivors of domestic violence.
• the public to sign the SOS petition and to send their SOS signal through Twitter.